Editorial | Travel sites should respect Hongkongers’ user data

In the digital age, it has become commonplace to book hotels, car rentals and plane tickets directly through online sites, bypassing the traditional phone call to a living travel agent.

What happens to our personal data once our purchases are made on those websites is not always clear. This is an oversight that needs to be swiftly addressed.

The problem came to light after a review of online travel platforms by Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog found one-third of them fail to state their data retention policies.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has rightly urged operators to appoint staff to monitor regulatory compliance and ensure the default setting for customers starts at the highest level of protection.

Of 10 platforms reviewed, Agoda, EGL Tours, Expedia, Trip.com and WWPKG included sections on data retention in their privacy policies. The watchdog singled out as desirable Expedia’s practice of setting clear deadlines and conditions for retaining user data in its policy.

Goldjoy Holidays and Wing On Travel added data retention sections to their policies after being contacted. Miramar Travel, Sunflower Travel and Travel Expert had yet to comply.